Hey there,

Here’s what a soap bottle can teach about asking for the sale.

One thing you should know

We all love sharing our message and connecting with our community, but you’ve gotta make some money sometime. So how do you ask for the sale?

Simple: take a cue from my soap bottle.

Timing Is Everything

See that “Time to Refill” line near the bottom of the bottle? It’s subtle and shows up at just the right time. Ask too soon, and no one will order because there’s plenty of soap left, and there’s no problem…yet. Ask too late: the buyer is panicking and buying whatever soap they can find.

With social media, you’re always trying to identify your audience’s problem. If you can get them to see that their soap is low, they’ll buy. But it takes time to nurture and grow an audience that is aware of their need.

Build a Relationship

The soap bottle has already earned the consumer's trust. They bought it already and are obviously using it to exhaustion. Buying again is easy.

Think of every post as a chance to make “customers” of your message. Give value first — tips, insights, encouragement — and over time, your audience will see you as invaluable. When it comes time to make the ask, the answer is an easy “yes”.

Be Clear

Notice the bottle doesn’t say, “We hope you’ll buy again” or “Please consider refilling with Dawn.” It assumes you will and gives a simple call to action: refill.

Your audience should have only one thing to do. Don't make the call to action complex or overthink it. Make it as straightforward as possible.

Ultimately, it’s all about timing, relationships, and clarity. Nail these, and your audience won’t just like your content — they’ll trust you enough to buy.

One thing you should do

Share a post detailing a success story with a past client — this time focusing on the problem. Answer these three questions:

1. What was so bad that they finally had enough and started looking for a solution?

2. How did you help them?

3. What was the result?

Use a call to action that circles back to your client's problem.

1. “Do you struggle with X too? DM me/call/visit my site.”

2. “Are you tired of X? DM me / call me / visit my site.”

Example hooks:

1. “My client struggled with [problem] until they discovered a simple solution.”

2. "Struggling with [problem]? Here’s the one strategy that worked for my client."

3. "Ever feel like [problem] is holding you back? It’s easier to fix than you think.

4. "Wondering why [problem] keeps happening? Here’s why and how to solve it."

5. "My client was stuck in [problem] for years—until they tried this."

6. "Think [problem] is just part of the process? Here’s why it doesn’t have to be."

7. “In the next minute, I’m going to show you can go from [problem] to [solution].”

And another thing

I’ve rebooted my podcast after a brief…ahem…two-year hiatus. Glad to have it back and running and I’m thankful for our excellent podcast team that does incredible work!

If you think sales requires being pushy or insincere, Matt Detjen will change your mind. In this episode of the Fire at Will podcast, he shares how building genuine connections and approaching conversations with purpose can transform your sales game — and your relationships.

What should I write about next? Just hit reply and let me know.

Until next time,

Will